Today in History - Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012

Today is Saturday, Nov. 3, the 308th day of 2012. There are 58 days left in the year. A reminder: Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday at 2 a.m. local time. Clocks go back one hour.

Today's Highlights in History:

On Nov. 3, 1992, Democrat Bill Clinton was elected the 42nd president of the United States, defeating President George H.W. Bush. In Illinois, Democrat Carol Moseley-Braun became the first black woman elected to the U.S. Senate.

On this date:

In 1839, the first Opium War between China and Britain broke out.

In 1900, the first major U.S. automobile show opened at New York's Madison Square Garden under the auspices of the Automobile Club of America.

In 1903, Panama proclaimed its independence from Colombia.

In 1911, the Chevrolet Motor Car Co. was founded in Detroit by Louis Chevrolet and William C. Durant. (The company was acquired by General Motors in 1918.)

In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2, the second manmade satellite, into orbit; on board was a dog named Laika (LY'-kah) who was sacrificed in the experiment.

In 1960, the Meredith Willson musical "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" opened on Broadway with Tammy Grimes in the title role.

In 1961, Burmese diplomat U Thant (oo thahnt) was appointed acting U.N. Secretary-General following the death of Dag Hammarskjold (dahg HAWM'-ahr-shoold). President John F. Kennedy established the U.S. Agency for International Development.

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson soundly defeated Republican Barry Goldwater to win a White House term in his own right.

In 1970, Salvador Allende (ah-YEN'-day) was inaugurated as president of Chile.

In 1979, five Communist Workers Party members were killed in a clash with heavily armed Ku Klux Klansmen and neo-Nazis during an anti-Klan protest in Greensboro, N.C.

In 1986, the Iran-Contra affair began to come to light as Ash-Shiraa, a pro-Syrian Lebanese magazine, first broke the story of U.S. arms sales to Iran.

Ten years ago: A CIA Predator drone fired a missile at a car in Yemen, killing al-Qaida's top operative in that country (Qaed Salim Sinan al-Harethi). Boston Marathon champion Rodgers Rop of Kenya won the New York City Marathon in 2:08:07. Joyce Chepchumba of Kenya finished in 2:25:56 to capture the women's title. Actor Jonathan Harris died in Encino, Calif., at age 87.

Five years ago: Gen. Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency in Pakistan. United Auto Workers agreed to a tentative contract with Ford Motor Co. Two astronauts conducted a successful spacewalk to save a ripped solar wing on the space station.

One year ago: Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou abandoned his explosive plan to put a European rescue deal to a popular vote. Former San Francisco Giants outfielder Matty Alou died in his native Dominican Republic at age 72.

Thought for Today: "You must be true to yourself. Strong enough to be true to yourself. Brave enough to be strong enough to be true to yourself. Wise enough to be brave enough, to be strong enough to shape yourself from what you actually are." — Sylvia Constance Ashton-Warner, New Zealander author and educator (1908-1984).